The Amp

In a 5-4 decision this week, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to implement its “wealth test” to deny greencards to immigrants who have accessed public benefits. The decision will discourage many families, including those with children who are U.S. citizens, from requesting assistance to which they are entitled. Discuss the development by citing the values of Community and Economic Security.

• Take action: Share this petition to Congress: No Federal Funds for Trump’s “Public Charge” Rule
• Messaging and communication tools: MAZON’s Outraged By U.S. Supreme Court Decision to Allow Implementation of Public Charge Rule; UFW Foundation’s U.S. high court affirms Trump anti-immigrant policy targeting people of color; Interfaith Immigration Coalition’s Faith Leaders Respond to Supreme Court’s Action on Immigration “Wealth Test”; Catholic Legal Immigration Network’s Reversal of ‘public charge’ injunction did not address core legal arguments still to be decided; Catholic Charities USA Reacts with Extreme Disappointment to U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on “Public Charge”; Planned Parenthood Denounces Supreme Court’s “Public Charge” Ruling
• Hashtags: #wealthtest; #ProtectFamilies and #PublicCharge

This week is the third anniversary of Trump’s original “Muslim ban,” and there are reports that the administration could introduce an updated version soon. We must push back against Trump’s xenophobic and needlessly divisive proposal to expand the ban, reminding audiences that we strive to be a country that welcomes immigrants and refugees. We must also call out the U.S. State Department’s new rule permitting consular officials to deny travel visas to anyone who they believe might be coming to the U.S. to give birth. The rule, which predominately affects female travelers from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, is yet another example of racial profiling by the Trump administration in its immigration policy. Like Trump’s travel ban, the State Department’s new rule is intended to sow division and fear, and strikes at the heart of our nation’s values. Discuss both travel bans by citing the values of Community and Economic Security.

• Take action: Share this petition to the House of Representatives: Repeal The Ban
• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda’s Talking About the Muslim Ban, Trump v. Hawaii; The International Refugee Assistance Project's IRAP Opposes New Immigration Restrictions Expanding the Muslim Ban; Leadership Conference on Human and Civil Rights' With Expansion of Muslim Ban, Trump Stokes More Fear to Curry Favor with Base; Church World Service's Expanded Muslim Ban is Discriminatory and Morally Reprehensible; Amnesty International USA's Efforts to Revive the Muslim Ban are Atrocious; Immigration Hub’s Anti-Woman Body Shaming Immigration Regulation Issued by Trump; Planned Parenthood’s Trump’s Travel Ban Targets and Discriminates Against Pregnant Women of Color; Interfaith Immigration Coalition’s Faith Leaders Horrified by Anti-Woman “Pregnancy Ban”; Center for American Progress’s New Travel Restrictions Continue Trump’s Attacks on Women and America’s Legal Immigration System
• Hashtags: #MuslimBanTurns3; #NoBanAct ; and #RepealtheBan

Below is a list of this week's communication hooks as well as events that you can use to reach new audiences and inform existing ones. Click on each link for messaging tools and hashtags.

Events and Cultural Hooks:

• Poverty Awareness Month ending Jan. 31
• Sundance Film Festival: now until Sunday, Feb. 2
• Fred Korematsu Day: Thursday, Jan. 30
• EITC Awareness Day: Friday, Jan. 31
• Black History/Futures Month: Starting Saturday, Feb. 1 
• World Hijab Day: Saturday, Feb. 1
• The Super Bowl: Sunday, Feb. 2
• Iowa Caucuses: Monday, Feb. 3
• Transit Equity Day: Tuesday, Feb. 4
• State of the Union: Tuesday, Feb. 4

Historical Anniversaries:

• U.S. House of Representatives votes to add 13th Amendment to Constitution: Jan. 31, 1865 
• First civil rights lunch counter sit-in: Feb. 1, 1960
• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: Feb. 2, 1848
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) signed into law: Feb. 5, 1993
• Trayvon Martin's birthday: Feb. 5, 1995 

For a look further ahead in February, click here.

You don't need to wait each week for the Amp action alert to find out what's coming up. You can easily add our media hooks and events to your work calendar, which will automatically update when you refresh your calendar. Here's how:

• Google Calendar:  Follow these instructions to subscribe to calendar using an email address (not link option). Copy and paste this entire address:      o33rmu231ochbp5i16botmsvus@group.calendar.google.com 
• Outlook: Follow these instructions. Copy and paste this entire link:   https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/o33rmu231ochbp5i16botmsvus%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
• Apple iCal for Macs: Follow these instructions. Copy and paste this entire link:   https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/o33rmu231ochbp5i16botmsvus%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics